Improvement in bran-dusters



M. SMITH.'

Bran Duster.

Patented June 23, 1863.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHIAS SMITH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ERAN-DUSTERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,021, dated June 23, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHIAS SMITH, of Rochester, in the county ot Monroe and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bran-Dusters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specitication,in which- Figure l is a vertical central section of my invention, the shafts S and S and spiral wings W being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by the red line y in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of a section of the head H, showing the ventilator o and its valve n, and their relative position with the shaft S.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the several iigures.

The nature of this invention consists in producing a complete centrifugal atmospheric pressure within the gauze cylinder of brandusters, with the downward current of air, by means of spiral wings arranged with their inner edges against the center shaft and their outer edges reaching nearly or quite to the brush-bars.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The cylindrical case A and A and head H may be made of wood. The bridges B and B are attached to the case A by setscrews J, and they support the moving parts of the machine. The shaft S passes through the bridge B, which constitutes its upper bearing, and rests at the bottom in a step in the bridge B. The hub forming this step is turned to iit the bore ofthe open metal head G, and constitutes its journal. This head G may be keyed or otherwise iixed to the shaft S, and is made with an annular V-shaped rib, e, that iits in a groove in the wooden lling F, and it is attached by means of screws, to the wooden ring It', into which the lower end ofthe staves or bars B are framed, their upper ends being similarly connected to the ring It, which latter is fixed to the gear-wheel G. This wheel is fitted to the hub of the bridge B, on which it turns, and it is packed against the head H by the rib c. This wire-gauze C is nailed to the inner edge of the bars B and the rings R and R', and constitutes the gauze cylinder,

whichis divided vertically into two parts, and

bolted together, as seen in Fig. 2. The brushbars C are made adjustable by means of the set-bolts b passing through slots in the arms E, which latter are secured to the shaft S by set-screws t'. The spiders to which the spiral wings W are attached are also held in position by set-screws u. The wings W may be made of sheet-iron and riveted to the arms of the spiders, and they should be so fitted as to rest with their inner edges against the shaft S. They may be set more or less spiraling, as desired. The beater g (seen in Fig. 2) is hinged to the case A at h, and is provided with a spiral spring, s', which produces a blow against each stave B, immediately after it passes the shoulder f, and knocks the iiour from the gauze. The loopl prevents the beater from swinging off so as to displace the spring s' when the case A is opened. The lower head, H', is a temporary attachment, and is not to be applied to a machine for use. The case A is divided vertically into two unequal parts,

as seen in Fig. 2, the smaller portion Al being hinged to the other at It', and secured ou the other side by a hook, i. The ventilator-valve o, Fi g.3, is pivoted to thehead H, so as to cover the ventilatore, or to allow it to be partially or wholly uncovered. The ventilator is protected by a wire screen, m, and is located near the shaft S, so as to open down into the curb d, Fig. l. The object of this valve is to regulate the atmospheric pressure in the gauze cylinder, without affecting the inward draft through the supply or feed spout. (Shown by dotted lines at a, Fig. l.) Some kinds of bran requiring more brushing than others, necessitates a full opening ot' the ventilator, while for such as require less brushing the ventilator should be partially, and in some cases perhaps Wholly, closed. Motion is communicated to the shaft S through the pinion p from the spur-wheel G', and the pinion p', being attached to the same shaft with said wheel G and meshing into the spur-wheel Gr of the gauze cylinderl C', its speed is greatly reduced, while that of the shaft S is proportionally multiplied, though they both have a common axis and revolve in the same direction. (Indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.) The bran to be operated upon is fed through a spout at a, Fig. l, falls upon the disk d', whence it is distributed to the surface of the gauze, and there held by the atmospheric pressure until operated upon and scoured by the brushes. This action removes every particle of flour, and it is forced through the gauze by the atmospheric pressure, which, in this machine is an entirely centrifugal downward current, producing a uniform outward pressure on all sides of the gauze cylinder, ihere being no counter-currents, asin other dusters, because the brush-bars B and Wings NV close to the center shaft, S. The bran Works down and is discharged through. 'the opening H, Fig. 2, while the our drops outside of the gauze cylinder, and is discharged by the sweeps w through an opening in the outer case A. (Not 'shown in the drawings.)

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Producing a downward current and centrifu- MATTHIAS SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. LoUGHnoRoUGH, QUINCY VAN Voonrns. 

